Actinic-ray charting device



Nov. 24 1925. 1,563,074"

DE. FOREST B. cA'rnLlN ACTINIC RAY CHARTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 7, 1925 To all Iwhomz't may eminem.'

Patented Nov. 24, 1925.,

DE FOREST B. CATLIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VAC'IINHJ-ELAY CHARTING DEVICE.

lie it known thatll, DE FOREST B. CATLIN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State or Massachusetts, vhave invented new and useiul improvements in Actinic-Ray Charting Devices, et Which the following is a specification. 4

yihe ob'ect of the invention is to provide a charting' device tor actinic treatment oit the skin enabling a physician to ascertain the resistance ot the ski-n, in any given casen to the action of energy applied thereby ultra-violet or other actinic rays, 'Without liability oi serious injury to "he skin by excessive exposure to wsuch energy'. There is considerabie variation to this resistance. The skin ci a biond patient xviii show an erytheniain about one-third oi the time required te show the same degree et erythema in a patient or the brunette type.

llhere are three degrees of erythema (commonly known as sunburn), these being' Application filed VJanuary 7, 1925. seriai N6. 1,133."

plurality of relatively small openings each adapted to expose a limited portion of the openings.

iii-st a slight reddening oit the skin; second, a pronounced reddemngfto the point oi descp'iamation, {commoniy known "peeling of the skin) l;' and third, blistering, which is pa iutul and dangerous.

'llhc skin' of a child shows an erythema. more quickly than that ot an adult. iin all cases of lowered normal resistance, due to pathological conditions, either'v organic or 'systemiethe"patientlsskin tolerapcepiap;

precie-bly lowered.

A physician in ascertaining the exacty amount of dosage by actinic rays, has to experiment with varying doses. 'llhis 'egtperiinentation usually requires three oir/tour treatments, and involves the possibility loii givipg a severe sunburn, when thatl degree A'oierythema' is not intended or desired.

li'liy invention enables a physician to make ou the skin of a patient, and Without liability ot injury thereto, a chart which Will indicate the amount ot energy and the distance between the ray projector-and the skin required during subsequent treatment in any individual case to produce the desired result.

rihe invention is embodied in a charting device, adapted to be applied to a surface of the human body, and comprising lirst, a

-major intercepting screen, adapted to intercept actinic rays directed against said suriaae, said screen .being provided with a expose one of the openings 15,

@t the accompanying drawings forming a part ot this speciiimrtion,d

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the preferred construction oi a device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sect-ion on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlargement oiportions Figure Q, showing the elements or the major screen separated from each other.

Figures 5 and 6 are trent elevations,

iiiustrating the use or the device.

The same reference characters indicate the same' parts in ail oii the figures.

ln the embodiment shown by the dravvings, the major intercept-ing screen constitut-ing an element ot my improved charting device,` includes a Hexible sheet 12, or any suitabie material and area, and adapted to conform to a body Surface on which it is laid, and to intercept ultra-violet, or other -actinic rays, a close textured textile fabric being preferred.

In the sheet 12 is formed a relatively,

largepeig indicated -by dotted lines in Figure 1.

Said major screen also includes a rigid interceptmg'plateidvvlich' may 'be of metal, having a plurality of relatively small open; ings or Windows 15, and means'separabl'y connecting the plate with the sheet 12, sonv that the margin of the plate overlaps the edges of the sheet opening 13, and the plate openings 15 register with the opening 13, as shown by Figures 1 and 2. Said means, in this instance, includes ordinary snap fasteners, comprising stud members 18, se-

cured to the plate 14, and socket member 19,

secured to the sheet 12. The separability of the sheet from the plate, permits the convenient Washing and sterilization oLt the sheet independently.

The 4minor mtercepting screens are, in this instance, metal plates 16, connected by hinges 17 to the plate, and each adapted to coveror The device at said distance,

may be used to form a chart on the skin, by locating the device on a body portion, with the sheet 12 contacting with the skin, the device being interposed between the bodyand a violet-ray lamp, or other instrumentality employed to project actinic rays toward the body portion covered by the device, and the minor screens-16 being closed.

The lamp is located at a predetermined distance from the device, Vand maintained and projects light rays continuously during the following experimentation. The rst minor screen 16, or that atx one end of the series, is opened first, as shown by Figure 4, until an exposureof (for example) one minute is made through the first opening 15. The second screen 16 is then opened, (the first remaining open) and an exposure of another minute is made through the secondV opening. While -the first and second screens 16 remain open, the third screen is opened and an exposure of another minute -is made through the third all the Screens 16 are closed.

f scribed mim,

opening. While the first, second and third screens 16 remain open, the fourth screen 1s opened, and an exposure of another minnte is made through the fourthopening. It is obvious that there may be any desired number of openings 15, and minor screens 16,

.fom being a suicient number in most cases.

After the exposure through the last opening,

It will now be Seen that Athe skin area behind the first opening is exposed, the example described, four minutes, the next three minutes, and the last one minute, and that theA skin isrthus provided with a tolerance chart. The amount of actinic energy required toJ produce a general tonic effect on theA patient, Without showing any noticeable or extreme reaction on the skin, is called a sedative dosage. My device used inthe manner deprotects the patientifromcrpossible and enables the the production of an injurious erythema' physician to avoid when onl a sedative dosage is desired, and to avoid 'ability of a suit fordamages.

I am not limited to the construction of the device shown by the'drawings, and may Vvariisly"*modifykthexsalne to provide :i major intercepting screelifadapted to beV applied to a surface of the human body, and provided with a plurality of independent openings, limited portion of said surface, and a corresponding plurality of minor intercepting screens, movably connected with themajor screen, and each adapted to cover and expose one of said openings.

I claim:

1. A. charting device for actinic treatment of the skin comprising a major intercepting screen, adapted to be appliedto a surface of the human body, and`provided with a plurality of independent openings each adapted to expose a limited portion of said surface, minor intercepting screens, movably connected with the major screen, and each adapted to cover or expose one of said openlllgS.'

2. A charting device for actinic treatment of the skin comprising a major intercepting screen composed of a flexible sheet, adapted to conform to a surface of the human body and having a relatively large opening, a

rigid intercepting plate having a plurality of'smaller openings, and means separably' connecting the plate with the sheet, so that the margin of the plate overlaps the edges of the sheet opening and the plate openings register with the sheet opening; and minor intercepting screens of rigid material, hinged to -the plate and adapted either to each adapted to "expose a and a Vcorresponding plurality of cover or expose the plate opening, the

separability of the Vsheet and plate permitting independent sterilization of 'the sheet'v Y In testimony whereofv I have aiiixed my signature. -v 

